Main-shaft carrier



EID

Patented Aug. 26, 1924.

UNTED STATES ROBERT R. MONDAY, 0F FOUNTAIN CITY, TENNESSEE.

MAIN-SHAFT CARRIER.

Application led July 6,

To @ZZ whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, ROBERT R. MONDAY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Fountain City, in the county of Knox and State of Tennessee,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Main- ShaftCarriers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to carriers adapted to be slipped onto the rearsection of t-he main drive shaft of a commercial type of gear driveaxle, such as that known as the llorbensen gear drive axle, and to beattached to the stationary axle thereof, so as to act as a support andcarrier for said rear drive shaft section and to effectively maintainthe driving gear of said shaft section in mesh with the ring gear of thedi'erential, whereby these devices will operate more efficiently andhave a longer period 0f usefulness.

Vith the above general object in view and others that will becomeapparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the sameconsists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of partshereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings andclaimed.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters indicate similar partsin the Several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary View, partly in plan and partly in horizontalsection of a gear drive for motor vehicles equipped with my improvedmain shaft carrier.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the carrier detached, and

Figure 3 is an elevational view of the device sliown in Figure 2.`

Referring more in detail to the views, the type of gear drive to whichmy invention is applicable embodies a stationary axle 5 o-f I-beamformation in section, and upon the ends of which the usual drivingwheels are adapted to be journaled. The central portion of the axle 5 isprovided with an aperture as shown in Figure l, and a main shaft bearinghousing 6 projects forwardly therethrough. The housing 6 is rigidlycarried by the differential housing 7, and is provided interiorly withroller bearings for the rear main shaft 8, which bearings are not shown.The differential housing 7 is of the well known type which encloses adifferential gearing including the ringgear 7a, which meshes with abevelled gear 9 fas- 1923. Serial No. 649,871.

tened upon the rear end of the shaft section 8. This provides a drivefor the rear axle sections 10 and 11 which are inclosed in the usualmanner by means of the housings 12 projecting from opposite sides of thehousing 7, and the axle sections 10 and 11 are adapted to be geared tothe rear driving wheels as is well known in the art.

ln the construction thus far described, it has been found thatconsiderable play is allowed between the driving parts and the same hasresulted in considerable trouble, due to the gears 7 and 9 becomingdisengaged or so nearly disengaged as to result in their teeth beingstripped. It is the object of the present invention to furnishadditional support for the shaft section 8, whereby it is effectivelybraced againsty vibration, and wherein means is provided for holding'the section 8 against lateral or longitudinal play, so that the gears 7Land 9 are effectively held in mesh for an indefinite period. 4

ln accon'iplishing the above, l provide a carrier embodying a casing 13,which is preferably of the form shown including a lower section lethaving an upper section 15' bolted thereto as at 16, the sections beingsuitably notched at their rea-r ends as at 17 for reception of theHanges of the axle 5 when the carrier is positioned in front of andagainst said axle as shown in Figure 1. The carrier is bolted to theaxle as at 18 and is open at its rear end so as to be slipped on to thebearing housing 6. It will be understood that the main drive shaft embodies the usual forward section operatively connected to the engine ofthe vehicle and adapted to be coupled to the rear shaft section 8 bymeans of a universal joint, one member of which is shown at 19. Thisuniversal joint section 19 is slipped on to the tapered forward end ofthe shaft section 8, and there retained by means of a nut 20, threadedupon the forward end of the shaft section 8. rThe forward end of thecarrier embodies an integral annular portion 21, which is centrallyapertured and which has the walls of the aperture thereof rabbeted as at22 to removably receive a ball bearing embodying inner and outer raceways, which bearing is denoted generally by the numeral 23. A plate 24is suitably bolted upon this end of the carrier to retain the bearing 23in place, and the inner race way of the bearing is provided with atapered bore adapted to fit the tapered rear end of the universalcoupling section 19 as shown.

In assembling the device, it is only neces sary to disconnect theforward section of the main drive shaft from the rear section 8 thereof,so as to allow removal of the universal coupling section 19. The carrieris then slipped onto the forward end of the shaft` section 8 j and overthe housing 6, j 'after which the bolts 18 are tightened Vso that thecarrier 4 is rigidly fastened against the axle 5. rIhe section 19 of theuniversal joint is then slipped onto the forward A'end of the'shaftsection 8 andinto the inner race way of the bearing 23 in which :ittightly fits. The nut 2() is then screwed upon the'end of the shaftsection 8 and the sections of the main drive shaft are then coupled byconnecting the sections of the universal joint. l/Vith the parts thusdisposed, it will be seen that the shaft section 8 'is Eeffectively'supported against lateral or'longitudinal vibration or play, sotli'at'lthe gears 7 and 9 will loe/effectively maintained in'mesh andheld against vibration for'insuring continued efficient operation1vofthe driving mechanism.

` Having thus described my invention, what Iclai'm as new, and desire tosecure by Letters-ilatent, is:

1; A motor vehicle drive construction comprising in combination with afixed axle 'adapted to have the usual driving wheels journaled on theends thereof and provided `with a central opening, and a differentialgearing embodying driving axles and a differentialhousing disposedrearwardly of said "axle, said differential housing embodying aforwardly yprojected bearing housing extending through theopening of thefixed axle` and having a rear main drive shaft section 'jurnaled thereinwith its rear end ge'aredto the differential mechanism, of anauxiliarycarrier attached to the xle and enclosing said bearing housing,said carrier further `embodying a forward bearing for the rear driveshaft section forwardly of said bearing housing.

'2. 'A motor vehicle Vdrive construction comprising in combination witha fixed axle adap'ted'to have the usualdriving wheels journaled on theends thereof and provided witha central opening, and a differentialgearing embodying driving' axles and a differential housing disposedrearwardly of said 4"axle, said differential housing embodying aforwardly projected bearing housing extending through the opening of thefixed axle "and having a rear main drive shaft 'section j'ournaledtherein with its rear end geared to the differential mechanism, of anauxiliary carrier attached to the axle and enclosing said bea-ringhousing, said carrier further embodying a forward bearing for the reardrive shaft section forwardly of said bearing housing, and a universalcoupling 'section secured upon the forward end of said rear drive shaftsection and includ# ing a tapered end fitting in a member of the carrierbearing.

3. Ay carrier for the rear main drive shaft sectionof a vehicleconstruction embodying 'a'fixed rear axle upon the ends of which thedriving Wheels of the vehicle lare adapted to be mounted comprising ahollow member open at its rear with a 'centrally apertured front wall,the walls of the aperture being provided with a rabbet, a lball bearingseated insaiu rabbet, and means to detachably fasten the rear end of thecarrier to thefixed axle.

4f. ln 'combination with the fixed rear axle of a vehicle constructionhaving a central Opening, and the differential gearing includ'- ing ahousing disposed rearwardly vof the fixed axle, and a bearing housingprojecting Vforwardly through the opening of the fixed axle, kand havinga main drive 'shaft section journaledthe'rein gearedto the differentiai,of a carrier fixed to said fixed axle, and surrounding the bearinghousing, and means at the front ends'of the carrier "and the rear driveshaft section for holding said shaft section against longitudinal orlateral vibration for maintaining the ring gearof the differentialoperativelyconnected with the rear endof the drive shaft section.

5. ln combinationwith the fixed rear axle of a vehicle 'constructionhaving a central opening, and the differential gearing including ahousing disposedrearwardly ofthe fixed'axle7 and a bearing housingproject-` ing forwardly through the opening of the fixed axle, 'andhaving a main drive yshaft section journaledtherein geared to thedifferential, of a carrier fixed to said fixed axle, and surrounding thebearing housing, and'means at the frontends'of the carrier and the reardrive shaft section for holding said shaft vsection againstvl'ongitudinal Lor lateral vibration for maintaining the ring gear ofthe `differential operatively con 'necte'd with the rear end of'thedrive 4shaft section, said means 4embodying aballbearing mounted in the:forward end of thecarrier and including an inner rac-e way havingy atapered bore,"and a rear vuniversal joint sectionhaving a tapered Vendfitted-onthe forward endl of themain drive shaft section and into'th'einner race way.

ln 'testimo'ny'whereof l affix my signature` ROBERT R. MONDAY.

end, and provided

